Terror suspect: Trevor Mulindwa, 21, tried to travel to Somalia Metropolitan Police
A Muslim convert who became radicalised while living in London has been convicted of attempting to join the Al-Shabaab terror group in Somalia.
Trevor Mulindwa, 21, was found with six terrorist and propaganda films after being arrested at Heathrow on his way to Mogadishu in September 2014 – including one about a UK jihadi who went to fight in Syria.
He had converted to Islam in August the previous year, and became “particularly interested” in the Al-Shabaab group, an Al Qaeda offshoot responsible for atrocities across east Africa.
Mulindwa had been discharged from hospital as a prisoner on licence just two weeks before he was intercepted at Heathrow.
He was today convicted at Kingston Crown Court under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act of preparing to go to Somalia with the intent of joining Al-Shabaab, a proscribed organisation.
Commander Richard Walton, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command appealed to London’s Muslim community to contact Scotland Yard if they become aware of anyone who is planning to travel abroad to fight alongside terror groups.
He said: “Al-Shabaab have been engaged over the past years in a range of terrorist atrocities in Somalia and Kenya and have also in the past planned attacks against the UK.
“We are now faced with the challenge of radicalised British nationals attempting to join many different terrorist groups in a variety of different countries.
“We will continue to do all we can to stop their travel to prevent them becoming trained terrorists and potentially returning back to the UK as a greater threat with the intention of carrying out attacks here.”
Mulindwa, of Mitcham, is due to be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday, December 17.
Dear Matt,Thanks to UK government and ciientzs for enabling a venue for discussion on Somali issues. The conference needs to consider the broader issues of Somali people not only in Mogadishu. If international community and UK give more consideration on Somalia and exclude the wishes and self-determination of people of Somaliland – Such steps will fuel the fire in Somalia. The international community must respect the ambition and success of Somaliland people. Our brothers from Somalia who are posting negative comments in this blog, I would like to remind them that we are neighbor brothers with two different states. We are extremely unhappy on instability and problems in their country. Thus, we are expecting from them to respect us, Somaliland is not just a name, it’s our identity. The fact is; no one can force us to be part of Somalia and the more they refuse our existence the more our brotherhood and good neighborhood getting worse. Somaliland is now hosting thousands of refugees from Somalia feel the famine and spare no effort on helping their brother in Somalia. Therefore, people from Somalia shall have to respect who we are? Once again, I would like to thank for UK and remind that Somaliland issue needs to be part of the agenda. Since we have being invited, at least the agenda must included Somaliland – because other administrations like Puntland are part of Somalia but Somaliland is not part of Somalia. I wish the international community will understand the situation in the context.Mohamed Hassan – Somaliland